]]>In addition to being a culprit behind running noses, itchy eyes and wheezing, cockroaches also spread disease. According to the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), cockroaches spread nearly 33 kinds of bacteria including E. coli and Salmonella, six parasitic worms and more than seven other types of human pathogens. They pick up germs on the spines of their legs as they crawl through decaying matter, which may be transferred to humans on hard surfaces and through food contamination.